MIDDLESBROUGH hope to complete the signing of their Celtic ‘Gang of Four’ by tomorrow – but face competition from Wigan for Gary Caldwell.

The Teessiders are understood to have agreed a fee of £1.6 million with the Old Firm outfit for centre-back Caldwell and midfielder Barry Robson, as well as loan deals for midfielder Willo Flood and striker Chris Killen.

However, Latics boss Roberto Martinez is also keen on Caldwell, and the lure of Premier League football could see the 27-year-old opt for the DW Stadium over the Riverside.

And the Easington-born 27-year-old fears that with squad-strengthening during the January transfer window, Boro can once again be a force to be reckoned with.

“It’s disappointing because you prepare all week for a game and then it gets taken away from you,” said Tate.

“Because I’m from the area, I had a lot of friends and family ready to come to the game. But the bigger issue was that was probably our best time to play them.

“It’s clear they are going to be bringing in players and spending money over the next month and, by the time we get to play them again, they could look like a different side. They’ve got the money to do that and they are going to be a force if they do.”

Meanwhile, the Sunday Sun can reveal Strachan has had to shelve a proposed move for Southampton striker Rickie Lambert.

Strachan saw Lambert – scorer of 18 league goals in 24 games this season – as a potential solution to Boro’s goalscoring problems.

But 27-year-old Lambert played one game for Bristol Rovers at the start of the campaign before a £1m move to St Mary’s, and FIFA rules state a player cannot turn out for more than two clubs in a season.

Strachan has not ruled out the prospect of going in for Lambert in the summer.